Ketones, Anti-Cramp Shots, Super-Carb Solutions: The Not-So-Secret Drinks of Pro Cycling

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Remco Evenepol’s red recovery bottle. Tadej PogačarIl Lombardia’s saving shot. and carefully labeled bidons distributed from every team car in the peloton.

So what exactly are these drinks that the cycling elite are guzzling down?

Ketones, anti-convulsants, and a super high carb mix, that’s it. And all of them are available “over the counter” in some form.

Also read:

Here we explain some of pro cycling’s not-so-secret drinks and where you can buy them yourself.

evenepol ketone recovery drink

Eagle-eyed fans may have seen Evene Paul sipping on a bottle of red juice right after a bike race.

Often, Evenepoel appears on Red Stuff before the media swarms and his Soudal Quick-Step teammates arrive to congratulate and commiserate with their young leader.

Remco’s essential recovery drink is more than just your favorite thirst-quenching breakfast juice.

This is a ketone mix created by KetoneAid, Quick-Step’s nutritional partner based in the United States.

“Ketone bodies are essential for energy replenishment, but they also play a big role in recovery. They play a big role in accelerating the recovery process,” said Vasilis Anastopoulos, outgoing performance director at QuickStep. Vero.

“Our doctors are working on optimizing the daily protocol for ketones, and part of our new method is taking ketones immediately after a race. Remco is drinking That’s it.”

The use of ketone bodies has been a frequent source of debate over the past decade.

Due to the relative lack of knowledge about dietary supplements, the UCI recommends against their use, and teams that have signed the MPCC have pledged not to use them. They are not prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency, and KetoneAid makes sure to list that fact on the front of its flagship product ‘Ke4’.

What exactly is this drink that divides opinions?

Simply put, ketones are substances that are naturally produced by the liver and can also be taken in synthetic form, usually through liquids. Ketone bodies help conserve glycogen fuel stores in the body. This is a huge advantage for riders who want to save their sugar for when it really matters.

Many teams are hesitant to use ketone supplements due to the current controversial situation, and some Vero It’s best not to check either way. Jumbo-Visma and Quick-Step are one of the few who are open about their use.

Despite years of use on the world tour and in sports, the jury is out on the effectiveness of ketone bodies.

Some say it is useless or has only a minimal effect on performance, while others question how safe it is to consume.

“I think a lot of people think that ketones are a wonder drug and that they will increase your speed by 20%. And I think that’s complete bullshit,” says Jumbo-Visma Director. Grisha Neeleman once said: Vero.

“I’m 100 percent sure it’s not some magical supplement that will make you run significantly faster.”

In the meantime, brands like KetoneAid, HVMN, and DeltaG will continue to manufacture and manufacture hay with these extremely expensive and always controversial supplements.

“I can understand people who are skeptical about them. There’s not as much information about ketone esters as there is about other supplements and nutrients,” Anastopoulos said in a recent phone call. “On the other hand, there are always a lot of tests being carried out and, according to the doctors, they are absolutely safe. Our players think they are effective.”

Whole Proton Super High Carb Mix

Carbohydrate beverages are not new, niche, or “marginal.” Brands like Gatorade have been packing sugar into their drinks since the turn of the century, and Proton has been guzzling carb-rich rocket fuel ever since.

However, the amount of carbohydrates packed into every bidon has increased many times over.

“Over the past five or six years there has been a huge change in energy intake,” said Ineos Grenadiers nutritionist Aitor Bilibey Morales. Vero. “With the advent of new products, more and more riders are consuming 120-140 grams of carbohydrates per hour.

“Previously, to reach this amount you would have had to ingest five to six gels, with a much higher risk of gastrointestinal upset. A few years ago, that limit was 60 grams. It was believed to be about 90 grams.

Just five years ago, a single race bottle could contain 20 to 30 grams of carbohydrates. The new formulation allows it to carry up to three times the amount.

Brands supporting world tours like Science in Sport [Ineos Grenadiers]Morten [Jumbo-Visma]and never a second [EF Education-EasyPost] has developed a drink and gel mix that allows riders to consume more sugar than previously thought possible. All this can be done without the risk of illness, bloating, or ill-timed bouts of “dumoulin.”

“Carbohydrate tolerance is becoming one of the biggest deciding factors between winning and losing,” said Anastopoulos, who moved from QuickStep to Astana’s staff.

“It is impossible for a rider to maintain the same power throughout a long race, but riders who are not receiving optimal fueling will notice a sharp drop in their power profile. Carbs are essential to cushioning that drop. Yes, and that’s why we now need to be constantly supplemented with carbohydrates.”

But not every rider can handle 90 grams of sugar in one 18-ounce bottle, more than twice the sugar in a can of “original” Coca-Cola. Each rider has his own tolerance limits and must be careful not to exceed them and potentially lead to unfortunate consequences.

Team staff carefully mix and label dozens of bidons before the race rolls out to ensure each rider receives the proper modifications.

“The emphasis is on riders preparing their guts during training to efficiently absorb this amount of carbohydrates,” Anastopoulos said. “Many people participate in sessions with training protocols and specific fueling protocols. Their importance is becoming equal.”

The world of elite endurance has become an ever-escalating arms race of carbohydrate consumption. The world of nutrition is accelerating to take control.

Pogacar anti-spasm shot

The only thing that could stop Tadej Pogačar from scoring a hat-trick at Il Lombardia last weekend?

convulsions.

Last weekend, within 12 kilometers of the “Leaf Race” remaining, the Slovenian monument killer was seen convulsing in defiance and clutching his thighs.

After some 240km of unrelenting hilly racing, these quads had suffered enough and Pogačar’s third consecutive win at the Italian Monument looked set to falter.

A hand holding a small bottle from the team car saved the day. Pogačar shoots down the invisible contents of the ship and roars to his third victory.

“It was a drink that helped with the cramps. It helped me a little bit, but I still had to run a little slower, otherwise it would have been difficult to get over the climbs,” Pogačar said after the race. “I wouldn’t have worried if it had been flat until the end, but I still had to do the Bergamo climb.”

Knowledge about nutrition, hydration, and fueling during races is rapidly advancing, but the risk of cramps has not stopped yet. The electrical pain caused by muscle fatigue and electrolyte imbalance can derail most overtired racers.

However, “spasmodic” drinks can reduce the pain to some extent.

Brands like Hot Shot and Cramp Fix promise to speed up the delivery of spam emails by blocking or “short-circuiting” the overactive nerves that cause this condition.

What are the drawbacks?

Usually, these sour and spicy shots don’t always go well together.

“It was a very concentrated mixture of electrolytes and salts. It has a fairly unpleasant taste and is not something that is used often, but is sometimes kept on hand for ’emergencies’,” said the UAE emirate. a federal spokesperson said. Vero Pogačar’s magical elixir. “This is only effective for cramps and cannot be used as a gel itself.”

Vero After contacting a small number of teams on the World Tour, it appears that the use of anti-spasm modifications is not that common.

Cramps are becoming increasingly rare as riders can now better monitor their sugar, salt and effort levels than ever before. But as “Pogi” found out, if you get a cramp, you have to get it fixed right away.